In early November 2012, I traveled down to Santa Fe, New Mexico, for 4 days of celebration and the birthday of one of my oldest friends, Ed Gale. Ed and I went to high school together at Fountain Valley School, outside Colorado Springs, in the late 60s. Along for the ride were a couple of more high school chums, Kurt Swingle and Ernie Steck. We all arrived on Thursday, enjoying a wonderful dinner in downtown at The Shed, which I highly recommend, if you are down that way! I also recommend Harry’s Roadhouse, where we had breakfast the following morning, after which we ventured eastward to Cowles, which is little more than a sign post on a road with a smattering of cabins, here and there. That said, however, it was definitely a home away from home for our overnight. Once we had unloaded the truck and settled our gear, we took off for a scan of the river for Ernie, who had brought his fishing tackle, and for me, camera in hand. They found a likely spot for Ernie to return to and I caught this candid shot, the faces of the innocent kept in confidence:

Perusing the River

We continued along our merry ways, whether it was Ernie donning his fly-fishing gear or myself continuing to shoot photos, as I am wont to do in a new environment. I traipsed about the shoreline as I studied the river and how various things got in its way to impede its course….that is, the rocks and boulders, felled branches and trees, detritus of one form or another, or whatever may be pushing it this way or that. While my concentration was the Pecos River itself, I was, occasionally, distracted by various bits that caught my eye.

I met you last night and one I hope that our friendship blossoms for a long time to come. In the brief moments we had to talk, we cut straight to the cores of things and connected in ways many people still have no clue about. So, consider these photos as a way to see a little deeper into me………..

Every Friday night, there is a spot on 32nd Ave in Wheat Ridge, where old and hot muscle cars line up on display for anyone to see and for their owners to hob-nob about their cars. I went along with my friend, Elliot, and his son, Syd, for the first time tonight. I’ll definitely be going back for more. Here are some of the best shots I took and the “shifts” I turned them into.

These are photos I’ve taken through the years that reflect the oncoming colors that Autumn graces all of us with, in all of our different spots in the world. When I moved to Colorado many many years ago, I was told that there “aren’t any real colors, just lots of yellows.” Because I came from New England, where I grew up, and spent lots of time in Iowa and other parts of the Midwest during many of those same years, I was used to seeing a vast range of colors.

I didn’t think much of Colorado’s Autumn colors when I was in and out of college….I simply didn’t make note of it (if you can believe that!!). The more time I spent in the mountains, though, the more I came to realize… Continue reading →